Orianthi recently opened up about her years performing with rock legend Alice Cooper and the events that led to her departure from his band. Speaking on Get on the Bus, she looked back on her experience as Cooper’s guitarist, describing the position as both fulfilling and challenging.
What she initially believed would be a brief touring stint ultimately stretched into several years. “I just was working with Alice Cooper prior to that. I was on tour with him, which was fun. And he’s a legend. Celebrating Halloween every night for I think it was had a blood on me. I can’t remember. I think it was four or five years I was with him. I thought it was going to be for one tour. Then it just kept on, you know, more tours were booked,” Orianthi said.
She also talked about why she enjoyed the role and highlighted Cooper’s dedication as a performer. “I’m like, this is fun. I just get to be the guitar player. I don’t have to remember lyrics. Not that I do now, but you know, just I don’t have to front anything, you know, I get a day sheet, get off stage, have a martini, and put on blood again. And Alice, I got to tell you, he’s 100% every night he gives. He’s one of the most incredible entertainers.”
Eventually, Orianthi chose to shift her focus back to her own creative pursuits. She personally informed Cooper of her decision, ensuring a respectful and thoughtful exit. “I felt bad when I had to depart the band cuz I walked into his hotel room one time and with his wife Cheryl and I’m like, you know, I think it’s time for me to go off and make a another record, you know, singer/songwriter kind of thing. And I met Richie and we kind of wanted to do a joint record together. So I thought it was time for me to leave and I said, ‘But you know, if you need me, I’m not going to just leave you. Looking after me. I’ll be in your band until you find some a replacement,’” she continued.
Orianthi expressed that she was pleased with the musician who stepped into her role. She praised Nita Strauss for embracing the position with enthusiasm and skill. “And they luckily found incredible Nita Strauss who is amazing. I’m so happy that she’s, you know, doing that cuz she’s a she owns it. She loves it. She owns it and that’s her thing. And for me, I’m a singer songwriter like so I love being guitar player for sure. That’s so fun. But it got to that point where I was like, I have to make another record as an artist.”
Her departure marked an important shift in Cooper’s touring lineup. According to Wikipedia, Orianthi performed as part of Cooper’s band from 2011 to 2014, becoming the first female guitarist in his touring group. She completed two world tours before stepping down in June 2014 to focus on her solo work.
When she left, Nita Strauss took over the role and went on to achieve major recognition within the rock world. As Guitar World reported, Strauss stayed with Cooper’s band for eight years and was later ranked the No. 1 female guitarist by the magazine. She became widely admired for her virtuosic electric guitar performances and distinctive presence onstage. Despite fans occasionally stirring tension, the two guitarists maintained a respectful and friendly rapport, as noted by Ultimate Guitar.
Their careers intersected again years later. In late 2024, it was announced that Orianthi would step back in to cover for Strauss during Cooper’s scheduled January and February 2025 shows while Strauss focused on her solo tour. But the reunion was cut short—Orianthi had to withdraw just days before the tour began on January 31, 2025, due to a leg injury. Gilby Clarke, formerly of Guns N’ Roses, ultimately filled the vacancy for the dates running from January 31 to February 13.
